China-leased giant panda gives birth to twin cubs in S. Korea

Giant panda Ai Bao and its cubs are pictured at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea, July 7, 2023. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)

SEOUL, July 11 (Xinhua) -- A giant panda, leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to the first pair of baby pandas in the country last week, Everland theme park said Tuesday.

Ai Bao, a nine-year-old female, gave birth to the female twin cubs on Friday, according to Everland, South Korea's largest theme park in Yongin, some 40 km south of the capital Seoul.

The elder and the younger cubs weighed 180 grams and 140 grams each. South Korea saw the first birth of a baby giant panda, named Fu Bao, on its soil in July 2020.

Everland said that Ai Bao and her newborns remained in good condition. Ai Bao succeeded in natural mating with Le Bao, a 10-year-old male, in the middle of February.

Giant pandas are known to rarely get pregnant as their breeding season only continues for one to three days per year usually in springtime.

The twin cubs will not be unveiled to the general public for the time being. It usually takes five to six months for a cub to be able to adapt to an external environment.

Everland said it will continue to show pictures and videos of the baby pandas through its SNS channels.

The giant panda pair arrived in South Korea in March 2016 on a 15-year lease. Their names, Le Bao and Ai Bao, mean pleasant and lovely treasures.

Everland built a 3,300-square-meter Panda World to accommodate the endangered species. The panda species was under threat of extinction but gained great popularity for lovely looks and rarity in the world.

About 14 million people have visited the Panda World to see the panda family, according to Everland.

The pandas were leased to South Korea for a joint research purpose. China had previously loaned a pair of pandas to South Korea in 1994.

Giant panda Ai Bao and its cubs are pictured at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea, July 7, 2023. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)

This combo photo shows the newly born giant panda cubs receiving health check at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)

Giant panda Ai Bao and its cub are pictured at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea, July 7, 2023. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)

This file photo shows giant panda Ai Bao at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)

This file photo shows giant panda Le Bao at Everland Resort in Yongin, South Korea. Ai Bao, a giant panda leased by China to South Korea seven years ago, gave birth to twin cubs on July 7. (Everland Resort/Handout via Xinhua)